News section
Queensland's Department of Primary Industries fast-tracking crop improvement in battle against drought
Brisbane, Queensland
September 27, 2004

Cutting edge computer technology is being used in a new Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F)project to fast-track crop improvement and gives farmers an edge in the battle against drought.

Project co-ordinator and DPI&F scientist Professor Graeme Hammer said the research aimed to use developments in systems biology and computer power to take some of the “hit and miss” out of plant breeding.

“It is really about making traditional plant breeding approaches to crop improvement work better and happen faster,” he said.

“To develop drought-resistant crops, for example, it is important to understand the novel traits that reduce water stress.

“By using computer power and creating a virtual environment we can fairly quickly test a whole series of ideas on how to improve plant breeding that previously might have taken 20 to 30 years to test in the field.

“With developments in computer modeling we can now predict the properties of crops using knowledge of how whole plants work, combined with molecular biology and genetics. We can now play evolutionary games that were not possible even five years ago.”

Professor Hammer will present some of his findings from the project to the 4th International Crop Science Congress to be held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from Sunday September 26 to October 1.

His paper will comment on how scientists can use their knowledge of crop physiology and crop modelling in virtual plant technologies to provide a bridge between gene and whole plant levels to make more effective use of molecular genetics in plant breeding.

This DPI&F research initiative also involves the University of Queensland, CSIRO and a major plant breeding company.

News release

Other news from this source

10,029

Back to main news page

The news release or news item on this page is copyright © 2004 by the organization where it originated.
The content of the SeedQuest website is copyright © 1992-2004 by
SeedQuest - All rights reserved
Fair Use Notice